Ceiling-mounted overbed table

ABSTRACT

An architectural system adaptable to patient acuity level has a headwall unit with a cavity, a ceiling unit, and a column coupled to the ceiling unit. The column is movable between a first position in which at least a majority of the column is situated in the cavity and a second position in which the column is situated outside the cavity. Various types of patient-care equipment is also disclosed. The patient-care equipment is included in, or is coupleable to, one or more of the ceiling unit, the headwall unit, or the column.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No.10/154,314, filed May 23, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,057, U.S. Ser.No. 10/154,314 claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/293,949, filed on May 25,2001, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by referenceherein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to architectural systems, such asheadwalls, columns, and ceiling-suspended arm assemblies used inhospitals, and particularly to an architectural system adaptable topatient acuity level. More particularly, the present disclosure relatesto an architectural system that is configured to deliver services, suchas medical gases, to a patient and/or that is configured to supportpatient-care devices for delivering intensive care services to apatient.

Architectural systems, such as headwalls, columns, and ceiling-suspendedarm assemblies, through which medical gases are accessible via medicalservice outlets are known. Headwalls, columns, and arm assemblies havingrails, tracks, or brackets for attachment of patient-care devices andhaving electrical outlets for delivering power to the patient-caredevices are also known. Patients in critical condition are oftentimeslocated in an intensive care unit of a hospital, whereas patients instable condition are oftentimes located in a standard patient room.Architectural systems in intensive care units are generally configuredto hold more patient-care devices and provide more types of medicalservices than architectural systems found in a standard patient room.

The numbers of patients in critical condition and the numbers ofpatients in stable condition fluctuate in a hospital over time. Thus, atany given time there may be either a shortage or excess of spaces forpatients in an intensive care unit. In addition, at any given time theremay be either a shortage or surplus of standard hospital rooms. Thus,there is a need for an architectural system that is adaptable topatients having high, medium, and low acuity levels so that hospitalshave the flexibility to meet the needs of the patient population at anygive time.

According to this disclosure, an architectural system adaptable to anacuity level of a patient supported by a hospital bed in a patient roomhaving a wall and a ceiling is provided. The architectural systemcomprises a wall unit coupled to the wall and having a cavity, a ceilingunit coupled to the ceiling, and a column coupled to the ceiling unitfor movement between a first position in which at least a majority ofthe column is situated in the cavity and a second position in which thecolumn is situated outside the cavity.

Various patient-care devices and equipment are attachable to the column.Such patient care devices include, for example, IV racks, infusionpumps, ventilation equipment, heart rate monitoring equipment, andpatient data acquisition equipment. In an illustrative embodiment, anumber of medical service outlets, such as gas outlets and electricaloutlets, are coupled to the column. Also in the illustrative embodiment,a number of doors are coupled to the wall unit for opening and closingthe cavity. Thus, when the column is in the cavity, the doors may bemoved to closed positions shielding the column and the equipment carriedby the column from view and blocking access to the medical serviceoutlets on the column. Opening the doors, but leaving the column in thecavity of the headwall unit, permits access to some of the medicalservice outlets and to some portions of the equipment carried by thecolumn. When the column is moved out of the cavity, all of the medicalservice outlets and all pertinent portions of the equipment carried bythe column are accessible.

Also according to this disclosure, a ceiling unit having one or morepieces of equipment coupled thereto is provided. Such equipmentincludes, for example, a reading light, an examination light, a displayscreen, air curtain generation equipment, a privacy curtain, atemperature sensor, an air quality sensor, an air purifier, aromatherapy equipment, a motion sensor, and a proximity sensor. In oneillustrative embodiment, an arm assembly is coupled to the ceiling unitand supports an overbed table. The arm assembly permits the overbedtable to be moved from one side of a hospital bed to an opposite side ofthe hospital bed.

A mobile cart is also disclosed herein. In an illustrative embodiment,the mobile cart comprises an upstanding pedestal, a plurality of legscoupled to a bottom of the upstanding pedestal, and a plurality ofwheels. Each wheel is coupled to a respective leg of the plurality oflegs. The legs, along with the wheels coupled thereto, are each movablebetween a first position extending outwardly from beneath the upstandingpedestal and a second position tucked beneath the upstanding pedestal.The mobile cart is attachable to a ceiling-mounted column or an armassembly. The mobile cart is also attachable to a hospital bed to betransported with the bed. When the mobile cart is attached to either thecolumn, the arm assembly, or the bed, the wheels of the mobile cart arespaced apart for the floor. A headwall unit having a cavity configuredto receive the mobile cart is also disclosed. The mobile cart carriesone or more pieces of patient-care equipment such as, for example, an IVpole, an infusion pump, a ventilator control unit, a gas tank, a gascontrol unit, a vital signs monitor, an on-board computer, a receiver, atransmitter, and a battery.

Further according to this disclosure, a set of hospital equipmentcomprises a headwall, a blanket, a unit housed in the headwall, and ahose coupled to the blanket and coupled to the unit, a thermoregulationmedium being moved between the blanket and the unit through the hose.The thermoregulation medium includes, for example, heated air, cooledair, a heated liquid, or a cooled liquid. In some embodiments, in whichthe thermoregulation medium is heated or cooled air, the blanket has aplurality of perforations through which the heated or cooled air isexpelled.

Additional features will become apparent to those skilled in the artupon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrativeembodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the variousinventions disclosed herein as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanyingfigures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an architectural system adaptable topatient acuity level according to this disclosure showing a headwallunit behind a hospital bed on which a patient is resting, a ceiling unitextending from the headwall unit, the ceiling unit overlying thehospital bed, an IV rack situated in a first cavity of tie headwallunit, and a housing having a display screen and a number of medicalservice outlets situated in a second cavity of the headwall unit;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, showing a first columnmoved out of first cavity so that the IV rack carried by the firstcolumn is situated alongside a first side of the hospital bed and asecond column moved out of the second cavity so that the housingincluded as part of the second column is situated alongside a secondside of the hospital bed;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the architectural system ofFIG. 1 showing the first and second columns received in the first andsecond cavities, respectively, of the headwall unit and showing a headend of the hospital bed situated in close proximity to the headwallunit;

FIG. 4 is a top view, similar to FIG. 3, showing the first and secondcolumns moved out of the first and second cavities, respectively, of theheadwall unit and showing the hospital bed moved away from the headwallunit by a sufficient amount to permit a caregiver to stand between thehead end of the hospital bed and the headwall unit;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the architecturalsystem of FIG. 1 showing rollers of the second column engaging a trackof the ceiling unit and showing medical service lines (in phantom)extending from each of the medical service outlets, through the secondcolumn, and through the ceiling unit;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of thearchitectural system of FIG. 1 showing the second column being movablebetween a first position (in solid) in close proximity to the headwallunit and a second position (in phantom) spaced from the headwall unitand showing the medical lines being routed into a central region of theceiling unit to accommodate the movement of the second column betweenthe first and second positions;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a portion of the architectural system ofFIG. 1 showing the first and second columns in a number of positions andshowing the routing of the medical lines from the central region of theceiling unit to the first and second columns;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the architectural system of FIG. 1showing the first column carrying an IV rack having a bottom platearranged for coupling to a pair of upright posts that are mounted to adistal end of a support arm extending from a bed frame of the hospitalbed;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the architectural system of FIG. 8showing the first column (in solid) supporting the IV rack above theupright posts and showing the first column (in phantom) supporting theIV rack in the first cavity of the headwall unit;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view, similar to FIG. 9, showing the IV rackdecoupled from the first column and coupled to the hospital bed to betransported with the hospital bed;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of anarchitectural system according to this disclosure showing the ceilingunit having lateral extensions for supporting auxiliary equipmentlaterally outward of the first and second columns, a first set of doorpanels covering the first column, and a second set of door panels beingopened by varying amounts to partially uncover various portions of thesecond column;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portion of the architectural systemof FIG. 11 showing a privacy curtain moved out of an auxiliary cavity ofthe headwall unit and hanging from one of the lateral extensions of theceiling unit;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 12, showing analternative embodiment of a privacy curtain extending downwardly fromone of the lateral extensions of the ceiling unit;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view, similar to FIGS. 12 and 13, but ofanother portion of the architectural system of FIG. 11 showing anauxiliary IV pole moved out of an auxiliary compartment of the headwallunit and hanging from one of the lateral extensions of the ceiling unit;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of anarchitectural system according to this disclosure showing a plurality ofopenings formed in a perimetral region of the ceiling unit and showingair curtain generation equipment (in phantom) operating to move air outof the plurality of openings to form vertical air curtains along thefoot end and opposite sides of the hospital bed;

FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view of the ceiling unit of FIG. 15 showing, inphantom, a fan and a set of channels through which air moves to reachthe plurality of openings;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an environmentally-controlled hospitalroom showing a patient supported by a hospital bed in the room, adisposable thermoregulation blanket covering a portion of the patient,the disposable thermoregulation blanket being coupled via a hose to athermoregulation unit housed in a headwall of the hospital room, and anenvironmental control canopy coupled to a ceiling of the hospital roomabove the hospital bed;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a mobile cart according to thisdisclosure showing the mobile cart having a somewhat rectangularupstanding pedestal, the pedestal having a fairly small depth dimensionbetween a front face and a rear face of the pedestal, the mobile carthaving four horizontally extending support legs coupled to the bottom ofthe pedestal, a set of casters coupled to distal ends of the supportlegs, and each support leg being pivotable relative to tie pedestalabout a respective vertical axis between a first position (in solid)extending outwardly from beneath the pedestal and a second position (inphantom) tucked beneath the pedestal;

FIG. 19 is a side plan view of a first hospital room showing the mobilecart of FIG. 18 being mounted to a head end of a hospital bed, a secondmobile cart, like the mobile cart of FIG. 18, being suspended from aceiling of the room by an arm assembly, the support legs of the twomobile carts all being in their respective second positions, and thecasters of the two mobile carts all being spaced apart from a floor ofthe room;

FIG. 20 is side plan view of a second hospital room showing the mobilecart (in phantom) being situated in a cavity (in phantom) formed in aheadwall of the hospital room;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a hospital bed supported on a floor ofa hospital room and an overbed table assembly that is suspended from aceiling of a hospital room showing the overbed table assembly includinga hub unit coupled to the ceiling above the hospital bed, an armassembly coupled to the hub unit and extending downwardly therefrom, anentertainment-and-control panel coupled to a vertical arm of the armassembly, an overbed table coupled to the vertical arm beneath theentertainment-and-control panel, and a telephone coupled to the overbedtable,

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a portion of the overbed table assemblyof FIG. 21 showing the overbed table assembly including aservice-delivery housing coupled to an underside of the overbed tableand a plurality of medical service outlets on an end face of theservice-delivery housing; and

FIG. 23 is a top plan view of the hospital bed and the overbed tableassembly of FIG. 22 showing the arm assembly moving between a firstposition (in solid) having the overbed table extending over a lap of thepatient from a first side of the hospital bed and a second position (inphantom having the overbed table extending over the lap of the patientfrom a second side of the bed and showing that the service-deliveryhousing moves around a foot end of the bed as the arm assembly movesbetween the first and second positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An first embodiment of an architectural system 30 according to thisdisclosure comprises a headwall unit 32 having a first cavity 34 and asecond cavity 36, a ceiling unit 38, a first column 40, and a secondcolumn 42 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Columns 40, 42 hang downwardly fromceiling unit 36 and are each independently movable between respectivestorage positions situated within a respective cavity 34, 36 and aplurality of use positions situated outside of cavities 34, 36. Headwallunit 32 is configured for attachment to a wall 44 of a hospital room andceiling unit 38 is configured for attachment to a ceiling 46 of thehospital room.

A hospital bed 48 is situated in the hospital room such that a head end50 of the bed 48 is near headwall unit 32 and a foot end of the bed isspaced from head wall unit 32 as shown in FIGS. 1–4. Columns 40, 42 arespaced apart by a sufficient distance to permit hospital bed 48 tooccupy the space defined between columns 40, 42 when columns 40, 42 aresituated outside of cavities 34, 36 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2and 4. Thus, column 40 is positioned alongside a first side 54 ofhospital bed 48 when outside of cavity 34 and column 42 is positionedalongside a second side 56 of hospital bed 48 when outside of cavity 36.

Columns 40, 42 each carry patient-care equipment, some of which isconfigured to provide medical services to high acuity patients, such ascritical patients requiring intensive care. Patient-care equipmentneeded for medium acuity patients, such as patients requiring medicalgas to aid respiration and intravenous (IV) fluids are also carried onone or both of columns 40, 42. For medium acuity patients, columns 40,42 are usually placed in cavities 34, 36 in the respective storagepositions and the needed medical services are provided to the patientfrom columns 40, 42 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Optionally, columns 40,42 may be moved out of cavities 34, 36 for medium acuity patients. Forhigh acuity patients, columns 40, 42 are usually moved out of cavities34, 36 to positions alongside bed 48 so that multiple medical servicesare accessible to the patient and to other pieces of medical equipmentas shown, for example, in FIGS. 2 and 4. For low acuity patients that donot require medical services from columns 40, 42, columns 40, 42 areusually placed in the storage positions so as to be out of the way.

Headwall unit 32 has a plurality of doors 58 that are movable betweenclosed positions covering associated portions of columns 40, 42 andopened positions allowing access to the associated portions of columns40, 42. For low acuity patients, doors 58 are typically closed toconceal columns 40, 42 from view. In the illustrative embodiment, eachof doors 58 slides horizontally behind an associated central panel 60 ofheadwall unit 32. In some alternative embodiments, doors 58 slidehorizontally in front of the associated central panels 60. In otheralternative embodiments, doors 58 either raise or lower or pivot whenmoving between opened and closed positions. In the illustrativeembodiment in which doors 58 slide horizontally behind panels 60, eachof panels 60 is large enough to accommodate both of the associated doors58 therebehind. It is within the scope of this disclosure for headwallunit 32 to have tracks or other surfaces (not shown) on which doors 58slide. It is also within the scope of this disclosure for rollers (notshown) to be coupled to doors 58 and for the rollers to roll on tracksor surfaces as doors 58 move between the opened and closed positions.

In the illustrative embodiment, three doors 58 are associated withcavity 34 to cover top, middle, and lower portions of cavity 34 andthree doors 58 are associated with cavity 36 to cover top, middle, andlower portions of cavity 36. In alternative embodiments, more or lessthan three doors are provided for covering respective cavities 34, 36.Optionally, locking mechanisms (not shown) are mounted to each door 58for locking the respective door in the closed position to prevent apatient or any other unauthorized person from opening doors 58 to gainaccess to the equipment mounted on columns 40, 42.

Headwall unit 32 has a frame (not shown) to which central panels 60couple. Headwall unit 32 has other panels or walls, such as a verticalback wall 59 and a pair of outer side walls 61 that extend from backwall in perpendicular relation therewith. In addition, headwall unit 32has horizontal walls 63 that underlie cavities 34, 36 and inner sidewalls 65 that are spaced from, but parallel with, walls 61 as shown inFIG. 8. Cavities 34, 36 are defined, in part, by walls 59, 61, 63, 65.One or more of walls 59, 61, 63, 65 are coupled to the frame of headwallunit 32. In the illustrative embodiment, headwall unit 32 includes alower portion 67 that is situated between a floor 69 of the hospitalroom and the portion of headwall unit 32 having central panels 60associated therewith as shown in FIG. 8. A set of auxiliary medicalservice outlets 71 are coupled to lower portion 67. In addition, theportions of headwall unit 32 in which cavities 34, 36 are definedoverhang underlying portions of floor 69 that are laterally outward oflower portion 67.

As previously mentioned, columns 40, 42 carry patient-care equipment.Column 40 is configured to have patient-care equipment attached theretoand detached therefrom, whereas column 42 has patient-care equipmentintegrated therewith as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the illustrativeexample, column 40 has a vertical arm 62 and an IV rack 64 coupled tovertical arm 62 by suitable couplers such as, for example, clamps,brackets, latches, grippers, or hooks. IV rack 64 has one or more hooks66 to which IV bags 68 couple and one or more poles 70 to which infusionpumps 72 couple. It is within the scope of this disclosure for any typeof medical equipment capable of coupling to an IV pole to be coupled toIV rack. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, one or more medical service outlets73 are mounted to arm 62 of column 40. Services accessible via outlets73 include electrical services, such as electrical power and datatransfer, and pneumatic services, such as medical gases or suction.Illustratively, electrical power is provided to infusion pump 72 fromone of outlets 73 as shown in FIG. 9.

In the illustrative example, column 42 has a vertical arm 74 and ahousing 76 coupled to arm 74. A display screen 78 is coupled to an upperportion of housing 76 and a plurality of medical service outlets 80 arecoupled to a lower portion of housing 76. Services available via outlets80 include similar electrical and/or pneumatic services as are availablefrom outlets 73. Service-delivery lines 82 are routed from each ofoutlets 80 through housing 76 and arm 74 of column 42 and throughceiling unit 38 as shown in FIGS. 5–7. In addition, service-deliverylines 84 are routed from each of outlets 73 through arm 62 of column 40and through ceiling unit 38 as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, lines 82,84 are routed into ceiling 46 through an opening 86 that is formed inceiling above a central region of ceiling unit 38.

Column 40 has a carriage 88 to which arm 62 is coupled and column 42 hasa carriage 90 to which arm 74 is coupled as shown in FIG. 2. In someembodiments, arm 62 and IV rack 64 (or any other patient-care equipmentcoupled to arm 62) are pivotable about a vertical axis relative tocarriage 88 in a first direction as indicated by arrow 92, shown in FIG.2, and in an opposite, second direction as indicated by arrow 94, shownin FIG. 4. In other embodiments, arm 62 is fixed relative to carriage 88but the coupler to which IV rack 64 (or other patient-care equipment)couples is pivotable relative to arm 64 in directions 92, 94. Similarly,in some embodiments, arm 74 and housing 76 are pivotable about avertical axis relative to carriage 90 in first and second directionsand, in other embodiments, arm 74 is fixed relative to carriage 90 andhousing 76 is pivotable relative to arm 74 about a vertical axis infirst and second directions. Various angular orientations of columns 40,42 about their respective vertical axes are shown in FIG. 7. Inillustrative embodiments, the vertical axes about which IV rack 64 andhousing 76 pivot extend through associated vertical arms 62, 74.

Ceiling unit 38 of system 30 has a central portion or canopy 96 and apair of side portions or tracks 98 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and2. Canopy 96 generally overlies bed 48, whereas tracks 98 are situatedlaterally outward of canopy 96. Canopy 96 has a set of lights 100integrated therein. Lights 100 include reading lights and/or examinationlights. In some embodiments, reading lights comprise standardincandescent or fluorescent bulbs, whereas examination lights comprise,for example, halogen bulbs and color-correction filters. All types ofreading lights and examination lights are contemplated by thisdisclosure as being included in ceiling unit 38. Illustrative canopy 96also has a display screen 110 integrated therein. In other embodiments,display screen 110 is omitted. Various images, such as family photos andnature scenes may be displayed on screen 110.

Ceiling unit 38 has a first or proximal end coupled to or overlyingportions of headwall unit 32 and an opposite, distal end that is spacedapart from headwall unit 32. Thus, ceiling unit 38 extends from headwallunit 32 along ceiling 46 of the hospital room. Canopy 96 comprises ahousing or frame 112 and a cosmetic cover or panel 114 that couples toframe 112 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Frame 112 includes portions (notshown) that couple to ceiling 46 and/or to headwall unit 32 withsuitable couplers such as, for example, bolts, rivets, welds, clamps,tabs, and the like. The various pieces of equipment carried by ceilingunit 38, including lights 100 and screen 110, are mounted to frame 112and extend through appropriately sized openings formed in panel 114. Inaddition, portions of lines 82, 84 loosely drape over frame 112 andcover 114 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Lines 82, 84 are routed throughsuitably sized slots or spaces 116 that are provided between frame 112and ceiling 46, or alternatively, between other portions of ceiling unit38 through which lines 82, 84 are routed.

As columns 40, 42 move between the storage and various use positions,lines 82, 84 move relative to ceiling unit 38 in a somewhat randommanner. However, frame 112 and cover 114 are situated beneath portionsof lines 82, 84 to shield these portions of lines 82, 84 from view.Other portions of lines 82, 84 are shielded from view by columns 40, 42,respectively. In the illustrative embodiment, panel 114 has lateral sideportions 118 that underlie portions of carriages 88, 90 as shown in FIG.5 with respect to carriage 90. Side portions 118 further shield lines82, 84 from view. Lines 82, 84 have sufficient slack in the interiorregion of canopy 96 to permit columns 40, 42 to move from the respectivestorage positions to the respective farthest use positions adjacent thedistal end of associated tracks 98. It is within the scope of thisdisclosure for one or more line management mechanisms, such as strainreliefs, hoses, conduits, cables, cable ties, articulating segmentedchannels, and the like, to be coupled to lines 82, 84 either to guide orcontrol the movement of lines 82, 84 or to restrain the movement oflines 82, 84 in a desired manner as columns 40, 42 move between thestorage positions in cavities 34, 36, respectively, and the variouspositions outside of cavities 34, 36.

Each illustrative track 98 comprises a track member 120 and a cosmeticcover or panel 122 coupled to the respective member 120 as shown in FIG.5. Suitable couplers, such as illustrative bolts 123, couple trackmember 120 to ceiling 46 or, in alternative embodiments, to portions offrame 112 that overlie tracks 98. The proximal ends of track members 120overlie respective cavities 34, 36 to permit carriages 88, 90 to movealong track members 120 into cavities 34, 36, respectively. Columns 40,42 each comprise a plurality of rollers 124 some of which engage a firstroller-engaging surface 126 of the associated member 120 and others ofwhich engage a second roller-engaging surface 128 of the associatedmember 120 as also shown in FIG. 5. Surfaces 126, 128 are each elongatedand extend generally perpendicularly relative to wall 44 of the hospitalroom. Thus, surfaces 126 are parallel with surfaces 128. In addition,surfaces 126, 128 lie in a common horizontal plane. In some alternativeembodiments, track members 120 are curved and in other alternativeembodiments, track members 120 are not parallel to each other.

Carriages 88, 90 are each somewhat U-shaped having central portions 130that underlie track members 120 and having a pair of side portions 132that extend upwardly from respective central portions 130 such thattrack members 120 are situated between respective side portions 132.Rollers 124 each have shafts 134 that are coupled to side portions 132and that extend horizontally therefrom in a cantilevered manner towardassociated track members 120. As columns 40, 42 move along tracks 98,such as, for example, in directions 136 away from respective cavities34, 36 as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6–8, rollers 124 roll alongcorresponding surfaces 126, 128. Of course, rollers 124 also roll alongsurfaces 126, 128 when columns 40, 42 move along tracks 98 in directionsopposite to directions 136.

According to this disclosure, housing 76 carries electrical circuitry tocontrol the operation of display screen 78. In some embodiments, housingalso carries electrical circuitry to control the operation of displayscreen 110 and lights 100. In other embodiments, some or all of thecircuitry that controls the operation of screens 78, 110 and lights 100are housed in portions of head wall unit 32. Such circuitry includes forexample, one or more of a microprocessor or microcontroller,input/output circuitry, signal conditioning circuitry, signal conversion(analog-to-digital and/or digital-to-analog) circuitry, powerconditioning circuitry, memory circuitry, and the like. In addition, auser interface is provided on column 42 to permit a user to entercommands and retrieve data for display on screen 78. In the illustrativeembodiment, screen 78 is a touch screen and the user input on column 42comprises user input buttons 138 displayed on screen 78 as shown, forexample, in FIG. 8.

In some embodiments, the electrical circuitry that controls theoperation of display screen 78 is coupled to the hospital's computernetwork or ethernet. In such embodiments, any of the informationavailable on the network is viewable on display screen 78. For example,a caregiver is able to retrieve a patient's medical records (e.g.laboratory test results, medical diagnosis, patient charts, x-rays, andso on) from the network for viewing on screen 78. In addition, patientpoint-of-care data, such as vital signs data (e.g. heart rate, bloodpressure, neurological activity, respiration rate, patient temperature,pulse oximetry) and data associated with the operation of patient-careequipment (e.g. data from one or more ventilators, infusion pumps,electrocardiographs, electroencephalographs), may be displayed on screen78. Thus, the circuitry associated with screen 78 is programmed and/orconfigured to receive and process various types of data signalsindicative of the information to be displayed on screen 78. It is withinthe scope of this disclosure for all types of data associated with thecare of a patient to be displayed on screen 78. In addition, it iswithin the scope of this disclosure for screen 78 to display multipletypes of data simultaneously, such as in a split screen format.Furthermore, in those embodiments in which the hospital computer networkis coupled to the Internet, then information accessible via the Internetis also able to be displayed on screen 78.

An alternative IV rack 164 that is attachable to and detachable fromvertical arm 62 is shown in FIGS. 8–10. IV rack 164 is similar to IVrack 64 and therefore, where appropriate, like reference numerals areused to denote components of IV rack 164 that are substantially similarto like components of IV rack 64. As was the case with IV rack 64, IVrack 164 couples to arm 62 with suitable couplers such as, for example,clamps, brackets, latches, grippers, hooks, or the like. The maindifference between IV rack 164 and IV rack 64 is that IV rack 164 has ahorizontal plate 140 coupled to the lower ends of poles 70. Plate 140has one or more openings or sockets 142 as shown in FIG. 8.

An arm assembly 144 for carrying IV rack 164 includes an arm 146 coupledto bed 48 for pivoting movement about a vertical axis, a horizontalplate 148 coupled to arm 144, and a pair of posts 150 extendingvertically upwardly from plate 146. Arm 146 is movable to a firstposition extending laterally outwardly from bed 48 to support plate 148and posts 150 at a location which permits coupling of IV rack 164 to armassembly 144 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Vertical arm 62 and carriage 88are movable along track 98 to position IV rack over plate 148 and posts150. In addition, IV rack 164, or the combination of arm 62 and IV rack164, is rotatable about the vertical axis extending through arm 62 toorient IV rack 164 such that sockets 142 are aligned with posts 150.After IV rack 164 is properly oriented over arm assembly 144, as shownin FIGS. 8 and 9, IV rack 164 is lowered in the direction of arrow 152,shown in FIG. 8, so that posts 150 are received in sockets 142 and sothat plate 140 rests upon plate 148, thereby to couple IV rack 164 toarm assembly 144.

In some embodiments, the coupler that couples IV rack 164 to arm 62 ismovable vertically relative to arm 62 to permit raising and lowering ofIV rack 164 and, in other embodiments, arm 62 comprises telescopingsegments that permit raising and lowering of IV rack 164. Alternatively,IV rack 164 is decoupled from arm 62 and is lowered manually onto armassembly 144. It is also within the scope of this disclosure for anupper frame 154 of bed 48 to be lifted relative to a base 156 of bed 48so that posts 150 enter into openings 142 and so that plate 148 movesinto engagement with plate 140. In some embodiments, additionalmechanisms (not shown), such as latches on plate 142 or plate 150, pinsthat extend through posts 150, caps that snap or thread onto posts,clamps that grip plates 140, 148, and the like, are provided to lock IVrack 164 to arm assembly 144. After IV rack 164 is coupled to armassembly 144 and decoupled from arm 62, arm 146 is pivotable relative tobed 48 to a second position having IV rack 164 supported alongside bed48 as shown in FIG. 10. Thus, bed 48 and IV rack 164 coupled to bed 48are transportable through the hospital without needing to disconnect IVlines from the patient carried by bed 48.

Referring now to FIGS. 11–14, an alternative architectural system 230has a headwall unit 232 and a ceiling unit 238 that are substantiallysimilar to headwall unit 32 and ceiling unit 38, respectively, of system30. Therefore, where applicable, like reference numerals are used todenote components of system 230 that are substantially similar to likecomponents of system 30. One of the differences between system 230 andsystem 30 is that headwall unit 232 of system 230 has a pair ofauxiliary cavities 234, 236 (see FIGS. 12 and 14) that are laterallyoutboard of cavities 34, 36, respectively. A pair of doors 235, 237 areeach independently movable between a closed position, shown in FIG. 11,in which the respective cavity 234, 236 and any items or equipmentstored therein are inaccessible and an opened position in which therespective cavity 234, 236 and any items or equipment stored therein areaccessible. In the illustrative embodiment, doors 235, 237 pivot aboutrespective vertical axes when moving between the opened and closedpositions. Suitable locking mechanisms are provided in some embodimentsfor locking doors 235, 237 in the closed positions. As was the case withsystem 30, doors 58 of system 230 are movable to open and close cavities34, 36.

Headwall unit 232 has additional medical service outlets 216 mounted ona pair of lower vertical panels 218 which are situated beneath thelowermost pair of doors 58 as shown in FIGS. 11, 14, and 14. Headwallunit 232 also has a pair of lower doors 220 that are movable betweenrespective first positions in which doors 220 cover the associatedoutlets 216 and respective opened positions in which outlets 216 areuncovered for use. It is within the scope of this disclosure for system30 to also have outlets 216, panels 218, and doors 220. In someembodiments, auxiliary outlets 71 and outlets 216 are included in theheadwall unit and, in other embodiments, only one or the other set ofoutlets 71, 216 are included in the headwall unit.

Another of the differences between system 230 and system 30 is thatceiling unit 238 of system 230 has tracks 198 which are wider thantracks 98 of system 30. Thus, tracks 198 extend laterally outward fromcanopy 96 of ceiling unit 238 by a greater amount than tracks 98 extendlaterally outward from canopy 96 of ceiling unit 38. Each of tracks 198have a cosmetic cover or panel 210. Each panel 210 has a first elongatedslot 212 and a second elongated slot 214. In the illustrativeembodiment, slots 212 are parallel with slots 214. Each slot 212receives a respective side portion 132 of the associated carriage 88, 90of the respective column 40, 42. Thus, provision of slots 212 in covers210 allows columns 40, 42 of system 230 to move without interferencefrom panels 210 between the respective storage positions within cavities34, 36 and the various positions outside of cavities 34, 36.

In some embodiments, slots 214 are situated beneath respective trackmembers (not shown) that are configured to support auxiliary equipmentwhich is moved out of auxiliary cavities 234, 236 and, in otherembodiments, auxiliary equipment is situated above slots 214. In theexample shown in FIG. 12, a privacy curtain 240 is movable from astorage position in which curtain 240 is situated within cavity 236 to ause position in which a majority of curtain 240 is drawn out of cavity236. In the use position, curtain 240 hangs downwardly fromsubstantially the entire length of the track member situated above therespective slot 214. Illustrative curtain 240 has a flexible curtainpanel 242, a plurality of sliders 244, and a plurality of strands 246.Each strand 246 extends between panel 242 and a respective slider 244.Sliders 244 are movable along the track member situated above slot 214.Thus, when curtain 240 is in the storage position, all of sliders 244are grouped together within cavity 236 and when curtain 240 is in theuse position, sliders 244 are spaced apart along the length of slot 214.

In the example shown in FIG. 13, a privacy curtain 250 is extendabledownwardly out of the associated slot 214 to a use position and isretractable upwardly through slot 214 to a storage position. Curtain 250has a flexible curtain panel 252 and a bottom member 254 coupled to abottom portion of panel 252. Member 254 adds weight to curtain 250 toprevent excessive movement of curtain 250 away from a vertical hangingconfiguration as shown in FIG. 13. A rotatable shaft (not shown) onwhich panel 252 winds when retracting and unwinds when extending issituated above slot 214. In some embodiments, a motor (not shown) iscoupled to shaft and is operated to rotate the shaft in the appropriatedirections to wind and unwind panel 252. In such embodiments, a userinput, such as one or more switches, buttons, levers, or the like, isaccessible on headwall unit 232 to control the motor. In alternativeembodiments; curtain 250 is extended and retracted manually, similar tothe manner in which conventional window shades are pulled down to covera window and are manipulated so that a spring causes an associated shaftto wind up the window shade.

In the example shown in FIG. 14, an auxiliary IV pole 160 hangsdownwardly from a carriage 162 that is slideable along a track member(not shown) which is situated above the respective slot 214. Pole 160and carriage 162 are movable between a storage position in cavity 234and a number of use positions outside of cavity 234. One or more hooks166 are coupled to pole 160 for holding IV bags 68. In the illustrativeembodiment, a dedicated infusion pump 172 is mounted to a bottom end ofpole 160. In alternative embodiments, infusion pumps 72 are attachableto and detachable from other portions of pole 160. It is within thescope of this disclosure for any type of patient-care equipment that iscapable of coupling to an IV pole to be coupled to pole 160.

Although curtain 240 is shown in FIG. 12 has being associated withcavity 236 and although pole 160 is shown in FIG. 14 as being associatedwith cavity 234, it is within the scope of this disclosure for curtains,IV poles, and any other type of track-mounted auxiliary equipment, suchas exam lights, water hoses, suction hoses, traction devices, and thelike, to be associated with either of cavities 234, 236. In addition, itis within the scope of this disclosure for the various walls of headwallunit 232 that bound cavities 234, 236, such as back wall 259, side wall261, and bottom wall 263 (see FIG. 14), to be appropriately sized andconfigured so that cavities 234, 236 are large enough to receive thetrack mounted equipment to be stored therein. In addition, in thoseembodiments having auxiliary equipment, such as curtain 250 that extendsand retracts out of slots 214, then cavities 234, 236 may have storageshelves therein.

Referring now to FIGS. 15 and 16, an alternative architectural system330 includes a headwall unit 232, that is substantially similar toheadwall unit 232 of system 230, and a ceiling unit 338 from which a setof air curtains 270 are directed downwardly around three sides ofhospital bed 48. In the illustrative embodiment, the set of air curtainsare adjacent foot end 52 and sides 54, 56 of bed 48. A suitable amountof space is provided between air curtains 270 and bed 48 to permit acaregiver to stand therebetween. Air curtains 270 provide a modicum ofenvironmental isolation for the patient on bed 48. Thus, air bornecontaminants outside the patient space bounded by air curtains 270 areprevented from entering the patient space. In some embodiments, aircurtains 270 are heated and/or humidified to control the temperature andhumidity of the patient space. In such embodiments, heating equipment(not shown) and/or humidifying equipment (not shown) is housed in eitherceiling unit 338 or headwall unit 232 or both.

An air curtain generator 272, such as a fan, blower, pump, or the like,is housed in canopy 96 of ceiling unit 338 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.An air-intake opening 274 is formed in cover 114 of canopy 96 and an airfilter 276 covers opening 274 to filter contaminants from the ambientenvironment. Air curtain generator 272 is situated in a central chamber278 of canopy 96 and an air-inlet duct 280 extends from opening 274 tochamber 278. A network of air-outlet ducts 282 extend from chamber 278throughout ceiling unit 338, including along the outer regions oflateral side portions 198 and including along the front distal regionsof canopy 96 and portions 198. Duct 280 overlies some of ducts 282 asshown in FIG. 16. In the illustrative embodiment of system 330, aplurality of air-exit openings or slots 284 are formed along the sideand front peripheral regions of the underside of ceiling unit 338.Operation of air curtain generator 272 moves air from the ambientenvironment through each of filter 276, duct 280, chamber 278, ducts282, and openings 284 to form air curtains 270.

A controller (not shown) housed in ceiling unit 338 or headwall unit 232or both operates to control air curtain generator 272, the heatingequipment (if any), and the humidification equipment (if any). A userinterface is provided on one or both of columns 40, 42 or on headwallunit 232. A user inputs operational parameters, such as, for example,fan speed (high, medium, low), air temperature, and air humidity, to thecontroller via the user interface. In addition, system 330 has varioussensors, such as, for example, a fan speed sensor, a temperature sensor,and a humidity sensor that provides feedback to the controller so thatappropriate commands from the controller can be provided to air curtaingenerator 272, the heating system, and the humidification system toadjust the operation of these devices, if appropriate.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a patient rests on ahospital bed 534 in an environmentally-controlled hospital room 532 asshown in FIG. 17. Covering the patient is a disposable heating/coolingblanket 536. Blanket 536 is coupled via a pair of heating/cooling hoses540 to a heating/cooling unit 538 housed in a headwall 542 of room 532.When the patient is to be cooled, unit 538 operates to provide a coolingmedium, such as cool air or cool liquid, through one of hoses 540 toblanket 536 and the other of hoses 540 provides the cooling medium backto unit 538 after circulation of the cooling medium through blanket 536.When the patient is to be heated, unit 538 operates to provide a heatingmedium, such as heated air or heated liquid, through one of hoses 540 toblanket 536 and the other of hoses 540 provides the cooling medium backto unit 538 after circulation of the heating medium through blanket 536.In those embodiments having heated air or cooled air circulated throughblanket 536, perforations are formed in the surface of blanket 536facing the patient so that a portion of the heated or cooled air beingcirculated through blanket 536 is able to escape from blanket 536through the perforations and convectively heat or cool, as the case maybe, the patient.

Bed 534 includes a pendant controller 544 that a patient uses to controlheating/cooling unit 538 in a desired manner when pendant controller 544is not locked out. In some embodiments, pendant controller 544 also isused to control other bed functions, such as articulation, raising, andlowering of the bed deck, and to control room entertainment andcommunication functions, such as television, radio, and nurse call. Bed534 includes a footboard 546 having a control panel 548 that is used bya caregiver to control operation of unit 538, to control operation ofvarious bed functions, and to control various entertainment andcommunication functions. Control panel 548 is also used by the caregiverto lock out one or more functions of pendant controller 544. Forexample, the caregiver can lock out the ability of pendant controller544 to operate unit 538.

An ceiling unit or overhead canopy 550 is coupled to a ceiling 552 ofhospital room 532 above bed 534 as shown in FIG. 17. Canopy 550 includesvarious systems that control the environment of room 532. For example,canopy 532 includes an overhead temperature sensor (not shown), anoverhead air quality sensor (not shown), an overhead air purifier (notshown), aroma therapy equipment (not shown), motion or proximity sensors554 for detecting the presence of other people in the hospital room,examination lights 556, reading lights (not shown), and a video screen558 for displaying one or more preselected images. Such images mayinclude a scene from nature or other restful scenes. Such images mayalso include images that transition at the appropriate times during a24-hour period from day images, such as clouds and sun, to night images,such as moon and stars. Images of the patients family may also bedisplayed on screen 558.

In some embodiments of room 532, the room lights are controlled to dimslowly as the daytime turns to evening. In addition, a recording ofevening sounds, such as owls, night birds, crickets, and wind in thetrees is played by audio equipment housed in overhead canopy 550.Eventually, the room lights are turned completely off and the nightsounds fade away. In other embodiments of room 532, a video screensimilar to or larger than video screen 558 is mounted to a room wall,preferably a wall that confronts the foot end of bed 534. In suchalternative hospital rooms, television images, internet images,educational information, patient schedule, imagery to promoterelaxation, and video conferencing images are selectively displayed onthe video screen.

Bed 534, unit 538, and ceiling unit 550 each have their own controllersfor monitoring and controlling the various functions associated withthese devices. Each of such controllers include, for example, one ormore microprocessors, microcontrollers, memory circuitry, input/outputcircuitry, signal conditioning circuitry, signal conversion circuitry,power conditioning circuitry, and the like. It is within the scope ofthis disclosure for each of the controllers of bed 534, unit 538, andcanopy 550 to be coupled to the hospital computer network to exchangedata with the network. In some embodiments, parameters for controllingbed 534, unit 538, and canopy 550 are entered by computers that arelocated remotely from room 532. Thus, for example, if a patient places anurse call requesting the heating/cooling function of unit 538 andblanket 536 be adjusted or discontinued, the nurse receiving the call isable to adjust the amount of heating/cooling provided to the patient viablanket 536.

Referring now to FIGS. 18–20, a mobile cart 560 includes a somewhatrectangular upstanding pedestal 562, four horizontally extending supportlegs 564 coupled to the bottom of pedestal 562, and a set of wheels orcasters 566 coupled to distal ends of corresponding support legs 564.Pedestal 562 has a fairly small depth dimension between a front face 568thereof, shown best in FIG. 18, and a rear face 570 thereof, shown inFIGS. 19 and 20. Each support leg 564 is pivotable relative to pedestal562 about a respective vertical axis between a first position extendingoutwardly from beneath pedestal 562 as shown in FIG. 18 and a secondposition tucked beneath pedestal 562 as shown in FIGS. 18–20.

When legs 564 are in the second positions, legs 564 and casters 566 arepositioned to lie completely under and within the foot print of pedestal562. In addition, when legs 564 are in the second positions, legs 564extend in substantially parallel relation with front and rear faces 568,570 of pedestal 562. When legs 564 are in the first positions, amajority of legs 564 are positioned to lie outside the foot print ofpedestal 562 and legs 564 extend in substantially perpendicular relationto front and rear faces 568, 570 of pedestal 562. Suitable locking orretention mechanisms are provided either on legs 564 or pedestal 562 tolock or retain legs 564 in the respective first and second positions.The stability of cart 560 on a floor is greater when legs 564 are in thefirst positions than when legs 564 are in their second positions.

Mobile cart 560 is couplable to and transportable with a wheeledhospital bed or stretcher 572 from an operating room 574, shown in FIG.19, to an intensive care unit room (not shown), and then to a regularhospital room 578, shown in FIG. 20. Of course, rooms 574, 578 are shownmerely as examples of hospital rooms and therefore, cart 560 may betransported with stretcher 572 to any location in a hospital thatstretcher 572 is capable of going. Cart 560 may also be transported byitself throughout a hospital when legs 564 are in their first positionshaving casters 566 rolling along the floor of the hospital.

An asset tracking system (not shown) included in a hospital includes aplurality of transmitters, receivers, and/or transmitter/receiver units576 (collectively referred to as “transmitter/receiver units 576”)located throughout the hospital. One such transmitter/receiver unit 576is shown in FIG. 36. Transmitter/receiver units 576 cooperate withremote equipment, such as computers, included in the asset trackingsystem to track the whereabouts of mobile carts 560 throughout thehospital. Thus, each cart 560 to be tracked includes atransmitter/receiver unit (not shown) that, when prompted by a signalfrom transmitter/receiver units 576, emits a signal that is sensed byone or more transmitter/receiver units 576 in the vicinity thereof.

Cart 560 is couplable to hospital bed 572 as previously mentioned. Cart560 is also couplable to arm assemblies 598 included, for example, inoperating room 574 and in intensive care unit rooms (not shown). Armassemblies 598 extend from the ceilings of the respective rooms, such asroom 574 as shown in FIGS. 19. When cart 560 is coupled to armassemblies 578, cart 560 is suspended from the ceiling of the respectiveroom so that casters 566 of cart 560 are spaced apart from the floor ofthe respective rooms. Casters 566 are also spaced apart from the floorof the respective rooms when cart 560 is coupled to bed 572. It iswithin the scope of this disclosure for cart 560 to be coupled to orincluded in columns 40, 42 of any of architectural systems 30, 230, 330,as well as any alternatives of these, described above with regard toFIGS. 1–16.

Cart 560 includes suitable couplers (not shown) that interface withcouplers (not shown) included in bed 572, with couplers (not shown)included in arm assemblies 578, and with couplers (not shown) includedin columns 40, 42. Suitable couplers may include, for example, hooks,clips, posts, latches, sockets, rails, channels, slots, bands, straps,fingers, flanges, lugs, bails, wires, magnets, plates, and the like, aswell as combinations of these. Cart 560 includes a handle 580 appendedto the top of pedestal 562 as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. A caregivergrips handle 580 to maneuver cart 560 along a floor of the hospital andto carry cart 560, such as during attachment to or detachment from bed572, arm assemblies 578, or columns 40, 42.

A headwall 582 of room 578 is formed to include a cavity 584 that isconfigured to receive cart 560 as shown in FIG. 20. In addition, cart560 is received in cavities 34, 36 (or cavities 23, 236) when cart 560is coupled to or included in columns 40, 42 and columns 40, 42 are movedto the storage positions. When cart 560 is situated in cavity 584, legs564 are in the respective second positions and casters 566 rest upon aledge surface 586 that underlies cavity 584. Pedestal 562 of cart 560 isconfigured to carry one or more IV poles 588 as shown in FIGS. 18–20.Cavity 584 has sufficient height to accommodate cart 560 and any IVpoles 588 coupled thereto as shown in FIG. 20. Hooks 587 are provided atthe top of IV poles 588 for attachment of IV bags 68.

Pedestal 562 includes recesses or compartments 589 that are adapted tocarry various patient-monitoring and patient-care modules or equipment590, shown best in FIG. 18. Such patient-care equipment includes, forexample, infusion pumps, ventilator control units, gas control units,vital signs monitors, and the like. Some modules 590 are coupled to thepatient, via sensor lines, to monitor various physiological conditionsand vital signs of the patient. In some embodiments, cart 560 includesan on-board computer system that interfaces with modules 590 and with areceiver/transmitter unit on cart 560. In such embodiments, patient-datafrom modules 590 is either transmitted to the hospital network via thereceiver/transmitter unit or the patient-data is stored in the computersystem until a hard-wire or optical connection is made to the network.When the computer system is communicatively coupled to the network, acaregiver located in the hospital remote from cart 560 is able to accessthe network with a remote computer terminal, for example, to obtain thestatus of the patient being monitored by modules 590 carried by cart560. Cart 560 includes a battery (not shown) to provide power to anyelectrical components, such as modules 590 and the computer system,carried by cart 560.

Pedestal 562 is formed to include service delivery ports 592. Tanks (notshown) containing oxygen or other types of medical gases are situated inan interior region of pedestal 562. In some embodiments, such tanks areincluded in a ventilator system carried by cart 560. In suchembodiments, hoses 594, one of which is shown in FIG. 20, are coupled torespective ports 592 and extend from ports 592 either to the patient orto associated medical equipment. Cart 560 is configured to carry othertypes of-medical devices, including drug infusion devices, that areassociated with providing intensive care to a patient. Such devices aresometimes referred to as LSTAT (Life Support for Trauma and Transport)devices. Because cart 560 carries most, if not all, of the medicalequipment necessary to provide intensive care to the patient and becausecart 560 is transported with the patient throughout the hospital, theneed to disconnect and reconnect IV lines, ventilator hoses, sensorlines, and the like from the patient before and after transport isavoided, as is the need to manage multiple wheeled stands or cartsduring transport of the patient throughout a hospital.

Referring now to FIGS. 21–23, a ceiling-mounted overbed table assembly656 includes a ceiling unit or hub unit 658 coupled to ceiling 46 of ahospital room, an arm assembly 660 coupled to hub unit 658, an overbedtable 662 coupled to arm assembly 660, and a patient-care housing 664coupled to and extending downwardly from an undersurface of table 662.In alternative embodiments, housing 664 is coupled to arm assembly 660and is situated, at least in part, beneath table 662. Hub unit 658includes an annular upper portion 666 having a frustoconical shape, anannular lower portion 668 shaped like a disc, and an annular slot 670defined between portions 666, 668 as shown in FIG. 40. Hub unit 658further includes a plurality of exam and reading lights 672 coupled tolower portion 668 and arranged to direct light downwardly therefrom. Inalternative embodiments, hub 568 has shapes other than annular, such aselliptical, polygonal (i.e., square, rectangular, triangular, and soon), and the like.

Arm assembly 660 includes a first arm 674 extending horizontally fromslot 670 and a second arm 676 extending vertically downwardly from adistal end 678 of first arm 674 as shown in FIG. 21. Hub unit 658includes a shaft assembly (not shown) that interconnects portions 666,668 of hub unit 658. A proximal end (not shown) of first arm 674 iscoupled to the shaft assembly for pivoting movement about a verticalaxis 680. Table 662 and housing 664 are coupled to a lower end of arm676 for pivoting movement about a vertical axis 682, shown in FIGS. 21and 22. Alternatively, table 662 and housing 664 are fixed with respectto arm 676 and arm 676 is coupled to arm 674 for rotation about axis682.

Second arm 676, table 662, and housing 664 are movable between a firstposition situated on a first side of a hospital bed 684 and a secondposition situated on a second side of hospital bed 684 as shown in FIG.23. During movement between the first and second positions, arm 676,table 662, and housing 664 move along an arcuate path, indicated by acurved double-headed arrow 688 shown in FIG. 23, around a foot end 686of bed 684. First arm 674 has sufficient length to allow housing 664 toclear foot end of bed 684 during movement between the first and secondpositions. Assembly 656 includes suitable locking mechanisms to lock armassembly 660 and table 662 in the first and second positions. When ineither the first position or the second position, table 662 extendshorizontally from arm 676 in a cantilevered manner and is positioned, inpart, over the lap of a patient supported by bed 684. In someembodiments, assembly 656 includes drive mechanisms that operate toadjust the vertical position of table 662 and housing 664 relative toarm 676.

Assembly 656 includes a telephone 690 having a handset that resides in arecess formed in the upper surface of table 662. Assembly 656 alsoincludes an entertainment-and-control panel 692 that is coupled to arm676 of arm assembly 660 via a post 694 that extends horizontally awayfrom arm 676 above table 662 as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. Illustrativepanel 692 is a touch screen that permits the patient to control, forexample, room lighting, room temperature, television functions, nursecall functions, and the like. Panel 692 is also operable to displayvarious images such as, for example, television images, internet images,educational information, patient schedule, patient billing information,and video conferencing images. Controls panels having any combination ofthe above-mentioned control functions and entertainment functions arewithin the scope of this disclosure. Telephone 690 is used in aconventional manner for placement of phone calls.

A plurality of medical service outlets 696 and a plurality ofpatient-monitor modules 698 are coupled to an end face 700 of housing664 as shown in FIG. 22. Modules 698 are arranged in side-by-siderelation along an upper portion of end face 700 and medical serviceoutlets 696 are arranged in side-by-side relation beneath modules 698.Each of modules 698 receive patient-data signals via patient-data lines(not shown) that are coupled to modules 698 and to the patient tomonitor various physiological conditions of the patient. Patientconditions to be monitored may include temperature, heart rate, bloodoxygenation, respiration, brain activity, and the like. Servicesprovided by outlets 696 may include, for example, medical gases, vacuum,and power. Outlets 696 receive the associated services via lines (notshown) that are routed to outlets 696 from the ceiling of the hospitalroom, through hub unit 658, though interior regions of arms 674, 676,through an opening in table 662, and into an interior region of housing664. Outlets 696 and modules 698 are positioned on housing 664 so as tobe generally inaccessible to a patient lying on bed 684 when assembly656 is in either the first position or the second position.

It is contemplated by this disclosure that table 662 and/or housing 664,along with outlets 696 and modules 698 associated with housing 664 maybe suspended from a ceiling of a hospital room by other types of armassemblies or columns. For example, it is within the scope of thisdisclosure for table 662 and/or housing 664 to be coupled to or includedin columns 40, 42 of any of architectural systems 30, 230, 330 describedabove. In such embodiments, table 662 or a part thereof flips up, suchas by pivoting about a horizontal axis, thereby placing table 662 is ina substantially vertical orientation for storage in the associatedcavity 34, 36, 234, 236 of the associated headwall unit 32, 232. Whenthe column 40, 42 associated with table 662 is moved out of theassociated cavity 34, 36, 234, 236, table 662 is flipped down to asubstantially horizontal orientation for use.

Although various apparatus and systems have been described in detailwith reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations andmodifications of each of these apparatus and systems exist within thescope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in thefollowing claims.

1. An apparatus for use in a hospital room having a ceiling and a floor,the apparatus comprising an arm assembly adapted to be suspended fromthe ceiling of the hospital room, the arm assembly comprising a firstarm that is nonvertical and pivotable relative to the ceiling about asubstantially vertical axis when the arm assembly is suspended from theceiling of the hospital room, an overbed table coupled to the armassembly and adapted to be supported by the arm assembly above the floorof the hospital room when the arm assembly is suspended from the ceilingof the hospital room, and a hub unit to which the first arm of the armassembly is coupled, wherein the hub unit comprises an upper portion anda lower portion, a slot is defined between the upper and lower portionsof the hub unit, and the first arm moves within the slot when pivotingabout the vertical axis.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the firstarm extends from the hub unit so that a distal end region of the firstarm is situated outside the slot and the arm assembly has a second armthat extends downwardly from the distal end region of the first arm. 3.An apparatus for use in a hospital room having a ceiling and a floor,the apparatus comprising an arm assembly adapted to be suspended fromthe ceiling of the hospital room, the arm assembly comprising a firstarm that is nonvertical and pivotable relative to the ceiling about asubstantially vertical axis when the arm assembly is suspended from theceiling of the hospital room, an overbed table coupled to the armassembly and adapted to be supported by the arm assembly above the floorof the hospital room when the arm assembly is suspended from the ceilingof the hospital room, and a control panel supported by the arm assemblyand the control panel having a user input, wherein the control panelcomprises a touch screen and the user input comprises an area on thetouch screen.
 4. An apparatus for use in a hospital room having aceiling and a floor, the apparatus comprising an arm assembly adapted tobe suspended from the ceiling of the hospital room, the arm assemblycomprising a first arm that is nonvertical and pivotable relative to theceiling about a substantially vertical axis when the arm assembly issuspended from the ceiling of the hospital room, an overbed tablecoupled to the arm assembly and adapted to be supported by the armassembly above the floor of the hospital room when the arm assembly issuspended from the ceiling of the hospital room, and a telephone, theoverbed table having a recess, and the telephone having a handset thatresides in the recess.
 5. An apparatus for use in a hospital room havinga ceiling and a floor, the apparatus comprising an arm assembly adaptedto be suspended from the ceiling of the hospital room, the arm assemblycomprising a first arm that is nonvertical and pivotable relative to theceiling about a substantially vertical axis when the arm assembly issuspended from the ceiling of the hospital room, an overbed tablecoupled to the arm assembly and adapted to be supported by the armassembly above the floor of the hospital room when the arm assembly issuspended from the ceiling of the hospital room, and a housing supportedby the arm assembly, a medical service outlet coupled to the housing,and a service-delivery line routed from the medical service outlet,through the housing, and through the arm assembly, wherein the housingextends downwardly from the overbed table and terminates at a bottom endthat is spaced apart from the floor.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5,wherein the overbed table has a table surface that is substantiallyhorizontal, the arm assembly is configured to permit repositioning ofthe overbed table in the hospital room, and the table surface remains ata substantially constant elevation above the floor as the overbed tableis repositioned.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the arm assemblyincludes a locking mechanism that is lockable to prevent repositioningof the overbed table and that is releasable to allow repositioning ofthe overbed table.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising acontrol panel supported by the arm assembly and the control panel havinga user input.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user input isengageable to control at least one of the following: a light in thehospital room, a temperature of the hospital room, or at least onefunction of a television situated in the hospital room.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the user input is engage able to place anurse call signal.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controlpanel has a screen on which at least one of the following is displayed:video images, images accessed via the internet, a patient schedule,education information, billing information, or video conferencingimages.
 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control panel issituated above the overbed table.
 13. The apparatus of claim 5, whereinthe arm assembly includes a drive mechanism that is operable to adjust avertical position of the overbed table relative to the floor of thehospital room.
 14. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a hubunit to which the first arm of the arm assembly is coupled.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 14, wherein the hub unit has at least one lightarranged to direct light downwardly therefrom.
 16. The apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein the arm assembly further comprises a second arm, anupper region of the second arm is coupled to the first arm, and theoverbed table is coupled to a lower region of the second arm.
 17. Anapparatus for use in a hospital room having a ceiling and a floor, theapparatus comprising an arm assembly adapted to be suspended from theceiling of the hospital room, the arm assembly comprising a first armthat is nonvertical and pivotable relative to the ceiling about asubstantially vertical axis when the arm assembly is suspended from theceiling of the hospital room, an overbed table coupled to the armassembly and adapted to be supported by the arm assembly above the floorof the hospital room when the arm assembly is suspended from the ceilingof the hospital room, and a housing supported by the arm assembly and apatient-monitor module coupled to the housing, the patient-monitormodule being configured to receive a patient-data signal indicative of aphysiological condition of a patient, wherein the housing extendsdownwardly from the overbed table and terminates at a bottom end that isspaced apart from the floor.